Network Newsfeed

The Bridge Opens Doors to Melrose Commons

Oct.29.2018

Some 70 friends and supporters gathered September 14th to celebrate the opening of The Bridge’s new Melrose Commons residence in the Melrose section of the Bronx. Hosted by The Bridge’s Board Chair Cynthia Wainwright and CEO Susan Wiviott, the gathering included electeds as well as representatives from the City, the State and the private sector, tenants and Bridge staff. Melrose Commons will provide permanent supportive housing for 58 formerly homeless individuals with mental health conditions. 

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. kicked off the festivities by noting that, in addition to Melrose Commons’ transforming tenants' lives, the beautiful new building is contributing to the neighborhood’s revitalization. “I grew up here and I remember playing in the rubble”, said Mr. Diaz. He congratulated all the partners on the project and took time to hug Robert Tandy, the Melrose Commons tenant who spoke at the opening. The Borough President had previously shown support for the project by allocating $600,000 in funding.

State Senator Luis Sepulveda also grew up in the Melrose area and remarked on the positive changes. He also congratulated all involved in the project: “I salute The Bridge for bringing this impressive residence and its services to those in need. I wish I could provide more like it.”

HDC’s Eric Enderlin, HPD’s Molly Park and OTDA’s Dana Greenberg also spoke, noting the amount of time (EIGHT YEARS!) and effort that had gone into the project. Capital One’s Desiree Francis (a Bronx native as well)  and CSH’s Maygen Moore participated.

As always, the star of the program was Robert Tandy, a tenant of Melrose Commons. Robert has struggled for many years on the streets and recently moved into The Bridge’s Safe Haven in the Bronx where, for the first time in many years, he felt safe.  When Melrose opened, he was ready to consider leaving transitional housing for his own fully furnished studio apartment in a new building offering permanent supportive housing. 

The building features a green roof, a large outdoor recreational space that features a garden, a ping pong table, and comfortable seating; a common space with a communal kitchen for cooking classes (using produce from the garden); and a conference room/training center. Comprehensive on-site services (including case management and 24/7 front desk coverage) are funded by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Funding for the building was provided by NYC Housing Development Corporation (HDC), NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), LIHTC, NYS Homeless Housing and Assistance Corporation, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., and the Mayor’s Office of Environmental Remediation.  National Equity Fund was the syndicator and Capital One the tax credit investor. Predevelopment funds were provided by the Corporation for Supportive Housing, Citibank and Local Initiatives Support Corporation.  The Bridge was awarded the property, which was deeded by the City for $1, through a competitive RFP process.  The architect was Magnusson Architecture and Planning and the contractor was the J. Pilla Group.  

Panel discusses updates on NYC 15/15 Supportive Housing Initiative

Oct.29.2018

On October 1st, the Network convened a panel on the NYC 15/15 Supportive Housing Initiative. A full audience of 85 of our nonprofit, corporate, and affiliate members, and government partners attended the panel entitled: NYC 15/15 in 2018: Development & Program Updates, presented by Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Assistant Commissioner, Special Needs Housing Emily Lehman, Human Resources Administration (HRA) Acting Deputy Commissioner, Office of Supportive/Affordable Housing & Services Jennifer Kelly, and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Senior Director, Housing Bureau, Gail Wolsk,. Attendees learned about the roles and coordination of the City agencies, the progress on the plan so far, and other valuable information about service models and development.

Jennifer Kelly of HRA emphasized the tremendous progress made so far in the ramp-up of the program, with service awards made for almost 2,700 units. In order to continue the progress, Ms. Kelly underscored the importance of providers taking the time to think about the questions in the RFP and how their program can take advantage of the unprecedented resources available to address the requirements.

Gail Wolsk of DOHMH explained the importance of integrating evidence-based and –informed practices in creating service models. She focused on how the enhanced resources available through NYC 15/15 can truly create a supportive housing program that has a holistic and, in the case of programs serving families, whole-family focus. Ms. Wolsk also explained best practices for program evaluation and staffing, and how property management staff and providers should collaborate. The audience learned about creating a service model that truly fulfills the goals of the ambitious NYC 15/15 initiative.

Emily Lehman of HPD guided the audience through the congregate development process and various HPD capital programs available to fund supportive housing units. Ms. Lehman explained the creation and success of HPD’s groundbreaking city-funded project-based rental assistance for NYC 15/15. The audience gained knowledge of how the capital process, services application, and rental assistance application all tie together, and how to best set up a team’s internal processes and timing.

For more information, access the PowerPoint from the event here. The Network looks forward to hosting more events as part of our Capacity Building Initiative as we strive to meet the development goals of the NYC 15/15 program and the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI) and get to 35k!

We are very grateful to Robin Hood for hosting this event in their offices and to our terrific presenters!

A Tribute to Raj Hosein

Oct.23.2018

As we celebrate our history, it only seems fitting that we also take a moment to honor a dear friend of mine that has helped transition this organization from its modest beginnings to what we are today!

Under Raj Hosein’s leadership, the Network has grown from five staff to 11, from a $500,000 organization to a $2 million organization and from 70 members to over 200 members today.  

And while each of those benchmarks are impressive, they don’t truly describe who Raj is, or what she has contributed to the Network and our community over the past 17 years.

To those that know Raj, you might describe her as very detail oriented, someone with only the highest of standards, the person that keeps the trains running.  She knows what needs to be done - and she does it – always well and always with pride. 

But for me and the Network, she is so much more than that.  She’s someone who can be relied upon for the smallest of tasks and the largest of tasks.  She’s the person that donates her own money to give a personal gift to the Tenants of the Year at the Network’s Gala each year.  And she’s always there to listen, to think through a problem and come up with a solution.

She’s not just the backbone of this organization, but the heart and soul that has made us who we are today.

That’s why I’m honored to present Raj with the Distinguished Service Award.  After nearly two decades with us, as Director of Finance & Administration, she’s retiring at the end of the year. It’s bittersweet to see her go and I honestly can’t imagine us without her. 

BUT, we’re very happy and excited for her and her husband Al. We wish them a wonderful retirement and bright future ahead.

The Network Celebrated its 30 Year Anniversary at the 2018 Awards Gala

Oct.23.2018

We are so proud of all that we have accomplished together and hope you enjoyed looking back at all our collective successes and stories of innovation in these last 30 years.

The mood was festive as 600 friends and colleagues came together to revive old friendships and forge new ones at Capitale. The night was also dedicated to a few outstanding individuals who have been advocates and change agents for the supportive housing community.  

Network Board Chair and Breaking Ground President & CEO Brenda Rosen welcomed the crowd, and introduced the Network’s Executive Director, Laura Mascuch, who expressed her heartfelt thanks to the Network’s Board, staff and the community for all their support.

The night’s festivities continued with our awards ceremony. Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen presented the Government Partner of the Year to Maria Torres-Springer, congratulating the Network for its 30 years of advocacy and praising Maria for her commitment and dedication to supportive housing and ending homelessness in New York City.  

We also celebrated the legacy of Bill Traylor, our longtime board member and a fierce advocate for supportive housing, with the Network Legacy Award. The former Executive Director of the Network, Ted Houghton, presented this award, introducing Bill as, “an artist who has helped shaped supportive housing.”

As always, we presented two outstanding tenants with Tenants of the Year Award. Stephen Bates from Soundview Apartments and Buddy Jones from the Prince George were honored this year for their tenacity and strength to overcome tremendous hardships and rebuild their lives in supportive housing.

Last but not the least, we honored Raj Hosein, the Network’s Director of Finance and Administration with the Distinguished Service Award for her 17 years of service to the organization.

“She’s not just the backbone of the organization but she is the heart and soul of it,” said Laura Mascuch while presenting the award to Raj.

The night ended with some more networking and cocktails. We would again like to thank all our sponsors for their continued support of the Network.

View photos from the event here!

Buddy Jones - Tenant of the Year

Oct.23.2018

Buddy Jones’ entire childhood and young adulthood were rife with physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of multiple family members.

Not surprisingly, fifty-year-old Buddy struggled through most of his life, grappling with his sense of self and battling substance abuse, self-harm, and other risky behaviors.  He survived multiple suicide attempts, as well as institutionalization, rehab stints, more sexual assault, and homelessness.  Buddy could not maintain stable housing and was in a state of perpetual crisis. He had to find a place of safety.  

In 2013, things began to change once Buddy moved into Breaking Ground’s Prince George, where services are provided by Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS). At first completely isolated, he gradually began attending meetings at New York City’s LGBT Center. In 2015, he came out as transgender and worked with his case manager to obtain a legal name change. Feeling motivated, Buddy also enrolled in CUCS’ Career Network Program, and now works at the Board of Elections every year. He also was able to land his dream job last summer—a seasonal shift at Mets Stadium, the home of his most beloved team.

During his time at the Prince George, Buddy has developed positive relationships with other tenants helping with errands and walking their dogs and has reconnected with old friends. Program Director Shaun Adams states, “Each year he’s become more himself. He inspires each of us by his example of how to live an authentic life.”  Clinical Supervisor Muriel Radocchio reflects, “Buddy reminds us that feeling safe enough to take the risks associated with change is often the most important service supportive housing provides.” Today, Buddy has maintained his sobriety for many years and has not engaged in self-harm since moving into the building. He takes great pride in his impeccably clean apartment, which he shares with his loving cat Miranda.

During the past year, Buddy was diagnosed with terminal cancer and started chemotherapy treatment. Unwilling to let the diagnosis slow his stride, Buddy is committed to his health and maintains his treatment with an upbeat outlook, inspiring tenants and staff with his resilience. CUCS Clinical supervisor Michael Embrey remarks, “His resilience is outstanding. He continues to show amazing growth and perseverance despite what life throws at him and has been facing new challenges with a smile on his face.” For this, we are honored to recognize Buddy Jones as Tenant of the Year.

Watch Buddy Jones in our tenants of the year video below.